Wearing of helmets has been made compulsory for two-wheeler riders, including pillion riders, in six municipal corporations of Tamil Nadu from Friday morning.

Even children will not be spared from the new rule, police said.

The six municipal corporations are Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Salem and Tirunelveli.

The seat belt rule for front seat car passengers also comes into effect on Friday, the sources said.

Official sources said with the deaths of two-wheeler riders in accidents increasing to alarming levels, the state had decided to make helmet wearing compulsory.

But the order would come into force stage by stage, starting with municipal corporation limits.

It would become compulsory throughout the state from June 30, the sources said.

This is the second time that helmet wearing is being made compulsory.

The government, on March 8, 1985 made wearing helmets compulsory following a report from a group of neurosurgeons that riding two-wheelers without helmet would damage the nerves and prove fatal in case of accidents.

But the order was withdrawn on June 26, 1989, following representations from two-wheeler riders.

Recently a public interest litigation was filed in the Madras High Court, seeking a direction from the court to make helmet-wearing mandatory.

The state government gave an undertaking in the court that it would be done in stages.

With the order coming into force, there was a last minute rush for purchase of helmets. Ramlal Chawtha, a leading automobile spare parts dealer, said over 1500 helmets were sold in his shop on Thursday.

Police have warned that a fine of Rs.100 would be levied at every point,wherever the rider was noticed without wearing helmet.